Couple of re-built (photo documented) XS650 engines have come up on ebay

First one at £1650 says "FULLY STRIPPED AND REBUILT XS650 WITH THE BIG BORE KIT, (770)...NOT 707...NEW BITS INCLUDE 81MM JE FORGED PISTONS, NEW LINERS, NEW TIMING CHAIN&GUIDE, UPGRADED OIL STRAINER, CLUTCH PLATES, OIL SEALS AND GASKETS, TIMING CHAIN ADJUSTING ROD AND SPRING, 90% ALL NEW BOLTS ETC...VALVES LAPPED IN AND LEAK TESTED, ALL A1...MORE DETAILS CONTACT WAYNE ON 07-97-977-43-41.....I WILL BE ADDING A LINK TO SHOW THE ENGINE RUNNING....THANKS.......THE CARBS AND PMA SYSTEM ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SALE...."

It looks like quite a tidy 1977, single disc model with very low stated mileage.

The spoked wheel ‘roadsters’ (esp UK models as opposed to USA imports) appear to be becoming rarer these days.They’re roughly speaking about 50% less than a Triumph 650/750 parallel twin, so it can be argued its a way in to lumpy vintage biking at a budget, and the good news is prices appear (from what I’ve seen anyway so don’t quote me) to be holding their own over the years (poss increasing a tad?). Get the right age machine and it could have free road tax, and be MoT exempt too (bearing in mind the “significantly changed’ caveat), as well as being eligible for classic insurance.

The early Yamaha XS1 & XS2s (XS650 forerunner) continue to show a distinct premium on the prices asked vs the later XS models, and over the years appear (to me) to be increasing.The later SE ‘factory customs’ (which have cast wheels) still appear fairly common as do Chops if the number up for grabs on ebay is an indication.

There’s a degree of irony in that the number of chops and flat-trackers made from XS650 donor bikes has allowed ‘original’ bikes to become rarer and hence more collectable, and with some folk now preferring the original / un-restored machines, the phrase “its only original once” can be heard a lot more nowadays than say 10+ years ago.